So you may think I broke my promise about not going on another dinner cruise, but I think what we did tonight was a cruise, and then dinner.

We took a steam boat out into the lake, and cruised along for about 40 minutes to a farm at the other side of the lake, where we had a lovely meal.

The steam boat was great. I love this sort of thing. You could get onto a galley above the engine room and look at the pistons pumping away, as a couple of stokers furiously shoveled 1 ton of coal an hour into the boiler. I tell you, not many people volunteer for that job you have to be fit.

After about 40 minutes chugging along at a fair clip, we arrived at Walter Peakâ€™s farm. This farm is the opposite of Queenstown. When the first two settlers arrived in the area, they flipped coins as to which side of the lake each would settle on. Since then the two sides have developed extremely differently. Walter Peakâ€™s farm is almost the same as it was more than 100 years ago. It is lovely.

We had a smashing dinner, which included the best soup my lovely wife has ever tasted and Yorkshire Puddings! We were then given the opportunity to watch some sheep get herded, and then shawn. Beign a yorkshireman, I have seen tis done a hundred times, but my lovely California beauty insisted on attending the show, and as I am lawfully obliged to do all as I am told to, I followed.

Soon, the steamboat blew its whistle, and it was time to board and take the trip home. On the way back we were able to partake in a sing song with the pianist on board. We were the youngest on board by far. The song choice reflected this, but I knew most of the songs anyway, and the numerous beers I had drunk encouraged me to sing along at the top of my voice. The grannies loved it

This was a romantic evening for the two of us with a lovely setting. It did make us think how our big trip will be over soon, and we will begin our long journey home.
Not immediately however, we must first head to Te Anau, and Milford Sounds.